gilbert



(No Model.)

T. H. GILBERT.

OIL AND GREASE EXTRACTOR.

No. 451,816. Patented May 5,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

TRUMAN n. GILBERT, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, nssrenon on ONE-IIALF'TO EDWARDo. STRONG.

OIL AND GREASE EXTRACTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,816, dated May5,1891.

Application filed December 31, 1890. Serial No. 376,434- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN H. G1LBERT,a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New 5 York, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in oil and greaseextractors for taking off the oil that adheres to castings during thevarious processes of manufactureand for extracting grease and oil fromvarious substances; and the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of my invention.

I-Ieretofore castings have been cleaned of the oil adhering to them bybeing boiled in potash; but this is a slow and costly process 1 and isnot certain to take the oil entirely off of every part of the pieces, sothat the spots from which it is not perfectly cleaned interfere greatlywith painting,'tinning, or japanning. My invention does the work muchcheaper and avoids all this trouble by perfectly cleaning the castingsin every part.

I am aware of the fact that grease and oil have heretofore beenextracted vfrom various substances by heat, by boiling in water, and

2 5 by pressure; also that the grease contained in kitchen-garbage hasbeen extracted by the use of benzine; but the apparatus is so defectiveand the process so intricate and slow that it is not profitable.

3 The object of my invention is to take the grease or oil off from orout of anything or substance placed under its operation in the quickest,most inexpensive,and most thorough manner possible. The mannerin which Iaccomplish the desired object is illustrated by the apparatus shown inthe accompanying drawing, consisting of one sheet, which represents avertical section of the invention.

1 is a tank in which the castings to be 4 cleaned or the substances fromwhich the oil or grease is to be extracted are placed through theman-hole 18.

2 isa tankinto which the hydrocarbon solvent, together with the oil orgrease it has extracted, is carried through pipe '7 for the purpose ofseparating the solvent from the grease by evaporating the solvent.

3 is a tank for holding the hydrocarbon solv- Tank 1 is made ofboiler-iron riveted steamtight and made to sustain a pressure of ten tofifteen pounds. It can be made any shape or size that may be required tobest accommodate the articles to be cleaned. In the top of tank 1 andattached to the top of tank is a coil of pipe 15, as represented in thedrawing, to be filled with cold water from pipe 16, with outflow at pipe17. Pipe '7 is'an overflow from tank 1 to tank 2. Pipe 20 is for thepurpose of letting in cold or hot water or steam into tank 1, as will behereinafter explained. In the bottom of tank 1 is placed a coil of pipe18, through which, when the machine is in operation steam is constantlypassing, let in through pipe 12 and making its exit at pipe 14. Pipe 28emerges from the top and pipe 29 from the bottom of tank 1. The uses ofboth will be hereinafter explained. The man-hole 19 in tank 1 is for thepurpose of taking out the castings or other material after beingsubjected to the process. This man-hole 19 can be made of any size orshape that may be desired or necessary to facilitate the putting in ortaking out of large castings. If tank 1 is made square or oblong,man-hole 19 can be made of an entire side or end.

Tank 2 is made of boiler-iron and constructed in the same manner astank 1. In the bottom of this tank is also a coil of pipe 22,into whichsteam is passed through pipe 23, making its exit through pipe 24. Pipe30 is for the purpose of drawing off the grease or oil that is depositedin this tank after the 8 5 solvent is evaporated, as'will be hereinafterexplained. Pipe 25 is for the purpose of conveying the vaporized solventback into tank 3, passing through the worm 26, Where it is condensed andfalls into receptacle 5 at the exit 27 of the Worm 26.

Tank 3 is also made of boiler-iron and is constructed in the same manneras tank 1. About a third of the Way down from the top is placed an irondivision wall or plate 6. 5 Under this division wall or plate 6 isreceptacle 5 for the hydrocarbon solvent used in the process. Above thisdivision-wall 6 the cut after it has been evaporated from tank tank isfilled with cold water constantly run- 5 2 and condensed through thecopper worm 26.

ning in through pipe 10 and overflowing 10o through pipe 11. In thisspace surrounded by this cold water is a coil of copper pipe 26,commonly called a worm, with its discharge 27 passing throughdivision-wall 6 into receptacle 5, the use of which will be hereinafterexplained. Directly under division-plate 6 is pipe 9, introduced intoreceptacle 5 for the purpose of relieving any pressure in receptacle 5.Pipe 4 conducts the solvent from [O receptacle 5 to tank 1. Glass gages31 are attached to each tank for the purpose of showing the height ofthe liquids in the tanks, and a steam-gage 2 is to indicate the pressurein tank 1.

I5 Mymanner of taking the oil off of castings or grease or oil fromother substances with the hereinbefore-described apparatus is asfollows: I first fill tank 1 with the castings or substance to beoperated upon through man-hole 18, then let into tank 1 about an inch ofwater through pipe 20, covering the coil of pipe 13, then through pipe 4let into tank 1 sutficient of the hydrocarbon solvent previously placedin receptacle 5 to dissolve the oil or grease on the castings or in thesubstance being treated, then close pipe at and admit steam into thecoil of pipe 13. This has the effect of boiling the solvent in tank 1,sending it up through the castings or other 0 substance in a vapor,which enables it to penetrate every part of the castings, even wherethey are resting the one upon the other. As the vaporized solventstrikes the coldwater pipe 15 at the top of tank 1 the vapor 5 iscondensed and immediately falls into the boiling mass, thus keeping acontinuous flow of solvent coursing up and down directly through thecastings or other substance. When the object is accomplished, the steamis shut off from pipe 12 and hot water admitted to tank 1 through pipe20, and as the oil or grease and the solvent are lighter than water theyrise on the top of the water (which is gradually admitted) to the top oftank 1 and flow over into tank 2 through pipe 7. If there is any scum orrefuse on the top of the water that it is not best to run over into tank2, it can be blown off through pipe 28 by cutting off the water frompipe 20 and turning on steam through the same pipe. Then by closing pipe28 the water and any residuum can be blown off through pipe 29. Then bycutting off the steam from pipe 20 and turning it on again at pipe 12and opening pipe 28 charges.

the heat becomes so great in tank 1 as to thoroughly dry the castings orother substance in a very few minutes, when it can be taken out atman-hole 1 9, and tank 1 is ready for another charge without waiting forthe solvent that was used in the first charge to be evaporated back intotank 3. As soon as the oil or greaseand solvent are run over from tank 1into tank 2 through pipe 7 steam is let into the coil of pipe 22 throughpipe 23, the heat of which soon vaporizes the solvent, sending it invapor through pipe 25 into the copper worm 26, where it is condensed andruns into receptacle 5 at 27, ready to be used over again when needed.Receptacle 5 should be of sufficient size to hold solvent enough for atleast two 7o The oil or grease is then drawn from tank 2 through pipe30.

The apparatus, as shown in the drawing and as herein described, can bechanged in several particulars and yet accomplish the 7 same result.Therefore I do not wish to confine myself to just the apparatus shownand described, but include in my invention any equivalents thataccomplish the same object.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus for extracting oil or grease,the combination, with a tank having a blow-off, hot or cold water orsteam pipes, and an imperforate coil of pipe at top and bottom of saidtank, of an additional tank suitably connected with the first tank andcontaining a coil of pipe, an eduction-pipe leading from the second tankinto a third tank containing a condenser, and a receptacle suitablyconnected with the first tank, substan- 9o tially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. In an apparatus for extracting oil or grease, the combination, with atank having a blow-off, hot or cold water or steam pipes, and animperforate coil of pipe at top and bottom of said tank, of anadditional tank, the upper part of which is connected with the upperpart of the first tank by a valved connecting-pipe and containing a coilof pipe, an eduction-pipe leading from the second tank rco into a thirdtank containing a condenser, and a receptacle suitably connected withthe first tank, substantially as and for the purpose described.

TRUMAN I'I. GILBERT.

Vitnesses:

JAMES C. STRONG, EDWARD C. HANDWERK.

